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Any thoughts on a new book to read?

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  1. avrdsSeptember 23, 2009 at 7:20 PM

    Great photo!

    John Muir anyone? This, along with a rereading of Conservation and the Gospel of Efficiency, will be my beach reading:

    http://www.amazon.com/Passion-Nature-Life-John-Muir/dp/0195166825

    Or is there something totally off the beaten path we should be pursuing?

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  2. NYT PerduSeptember 24, 2009 at 4:36 AM

    I'm deep into "Ghost Wars" about the CIA, Afghanistan & bin Laden before 9/11, recommend it highly but recognize I'm way behind others in reading it.

    Gintaras' suggestion of "Zeitoun" looks to me like something that would be great for holiday season others may want to read it earlier.

    I will know before long if I am to be on a jury for a 3-week trial--of the very kind of case I deal with every single work day! Apparently, this is not considered a hardship.

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  3. avrdsSeptember 24, 2009 at 5:21 AM

    Good luck with jury duty. I've been called several times but they never want me -- too educated and a writer besides. My guess is they won't want you either because of your profession. It's weird watching them pick a jury. There's obviously an art to it.

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  4. NYT PerduSeptember 28, 2009 at 2:44 AM

    Thanks avrds--case, incl. jury selection was postponed til mid-Oct. in which time perhaps a plea can be negotiated (though that seems unlikely considering the charges & penalties for conviction of them). I will likely not need to resort to the tactic of one prospective juror who came to court in a t-shirt emblazoned with "Time to Kill." (I was thinking of one saying "Harmless Error" but maybe only the judge would get it and the judges don't pick jurors, the attys do.)

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  5. avrdsSeptember 28, 2009 at 3:44 AM

    In one case where I was in the first 12 to be seated, we were asked about our feelings about spousal abuse. The man to my right said he felt there was too much made of all of that and it didn't belong in the courts. Then the lawyer asked me and, pointing to the man sitting to my right, said I feel basically the opposite of him. The lawyer asked for my dismissal right there on the spot, but the judge asked if I could evaluate the evidence fairly. I agreed that I could so the judge said I was to stay. The lawyer looked totally frustrated but moved on. But he cut me anyway when they went into chambers.

    So it goes on juries..... The man, whom everyone told me later was probably guilty, got off.

    I wish you good luck whichever way it goes!

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  6. MartiSeptember 28, 2009 at 5:16 AM

    I was a juror on two short criminal cases, both robberies. More recently, I've been on jury panels for civil cases but not picked for the juries.

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  7. avrdsSeptember 29, 2009 at 5:40 PM

    I wonder how Robert is doing and if he's ready to do some reading again. Maybe we should ask him if there's a book we should all be reading?

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  8. MartiSeptember 30, 2009 at 1:33 AM

    I was just thinking of Robert before I clicked on this website. Hope he's doing better.

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  9. avrdsSeptember 30, 2009 at 4:32 AM

    I sent him a note but haven't heard back. My guess is typing is difficult. Hopefully he's on the mend. They have really good treatments now for stroke.

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  10. James FergusonSeptember 30, 2009 at 10:08 AM

    I do as well. It is very sad not having Robert around. He is game for almost any book, which, along with his trenchant comments, is what makes him so special.

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  11. avrdsSeptember 30, 2009 at 5:13 PM

    I know. He also keeps me in check! Hopefully he's on the road to recovery.

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  12. NYT PerduOctober 7, 2009 at 4:56 AM

    Alas, my next "must read" after "Ghost Wars" has to be Margaret Atwood's new one, companion to "Oryx and Crake." Heard her on NPR today and fell for her all over again. She's so very funny --you should have heard her talking about turning 70 in a creaky "little old lady voice" --oh wait, you can! The interview is here (please excuse the interviewer, he can be obnoxiously overly familiar with his writer guests): http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R910061000 (Sudbury, Ont. celebrates her b'day, as well it should!)

    American Historical Perspectives doesn't include "speculative fiction," please excuse my wandering off the reservation.

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  13. James FergusonOctober 11, 2009 at 1:49 PM

    We don't seem to be getting any closer to a selection. I ordered Zietoun. I'm also intrigued by the Muir book. I see NYT is planning on reading Ghost Wars. What other thoughts are there?

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  14. James FergusonOctober 11, 2009 at 1:54 PM

    Anyone read "The End of America" by Naomi Klein?

    http://www.amazon.com/End-America-Letter-Warning-Patriot/dp/1933392797/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255258215&sr=8-5

    interestin op-ed piece in the Guardian,

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/apr/24/usa.comment

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  15. avrdsOctober 11, 2009 at 4:30 PM

    I think history will look back on that period in a similar way. Remember they even talked about canceling elections? Those were scary times.

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  16. James FergusonOctober 11, 2009 at 5:28 PM

    Looks like I was confusing Naomi Klein with Naomi Wolf. My bad.

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  17. avrdsOctober 11, 2009 at 5:44 PM

    Two different women but same world view.

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